Today

Before I start today’s article, I want to thank my Director of Web Services, who happens to be my granddaughter, for her contributions in helping create what, I think, is a pretty darn good looking Web page. I won’t do it myself because I fear the technology and none of that stuff works anyway. The photo is “The Tree of Life” which meshes well with the Odyssey theme and the James Joyce quote. 

Recently, I took you all the way back to 1953 with the story of 3 arsonist brothers in “The Barn”. Today, I’m going to tell you about today as it progresses. Keep in mind, every tick of the clock becomes part of my Odyssey. 

As always’ this morning began with coffee and a cigarette at about 6:30 leaving ample time for the 2 of them to jump start my consciousness. My swim time is 8:30 at my health club, which allows an hour to absorb the usual political nonsense on a cable network. Not the best thing for my outlook on life but, I just can’t look away. The drive to the swimming pool takes 8 minutes so, I leave at 8:00. 

As I reach the end of our neighborhood about to enter the highway, to my left I see a completely empty parking lot. “Oh, that’s right”, I said to myself, there is no gasoline right now. The convenience store located very conveniently about 2 minutes from our home, wasn’t very “convenient” at 8 AM today. All of the nozzles on all of the pumps were draped with the dreaded yellow “Sorry … “ hood. The place was deserted.

Knowing how the media will hype the story of the hacking of the eastern pipeline I had the foresight to fill up early Monday morning but, the sight of the desolate parking lot told me— Better conserve fuel. The Van Halen song, “I Can’t Drive 55” pops into my head. Like it or not, I will drive 55 mph and stay off of the brake pedal. “Cruise Control” is a thing of beauty. I set it and make the entire 9 miles without braking. YAY!

Everything went “swimmingly” during my workout.

At 9:30 I approach the aforementioned convenience store and traffic is backed up about 100 yards waiting to get into the parking lot. For a few seconds, I wondered why. The nozzles are still wearing yellow hoods. and then I saw, in that same line of traffic, a tanker truck trying to get onto the convenience store property. At that point, the customers who are sitting right next to a pump thinking they will be first to fill up will need to move to allow the tanker to unload. I was tempted to pull over and see how that goes, but, the watched pot seldom boils. I’ll come back later after cigarette No. 2 and some breakfast.

As I finish the first half of this story it’s 12:07 P.M.

I’m going back to the convenience store to see how all of this worked out. 

Stay tuned for more Breaking News!

I’m back. The morning was uneventful during the refueling rush, and I’ll admit to some disappointment with the lack of drama. The store’s staff was doing a great job of moving customers through — working closely with the customers in a very cold, constant, rain wearing nothing on their heads???? Regular grade gas is sold out. Only premium available. Most importantly, people behaved themselves. As I was about to leave, and speaking to Derek, the store’s manager, a woman walked up to him and gave him a $5.00 tip in appreciation for his efforts to help customers. As I was walking away a stray, lonely gas cap came rolling down the hill right next to me. I gave it to Derek knowing he really didn’t want it.

I addition to a fuel scare, and the miserably cold and wet weather, economists right now fear rising interest rates and higher inflation while the consumer price index just increased by over 4%. And, I just looked at the hit my portfolio is taking today. Owww!

For the remainder of this day, I’ll be taking shelter from the news in my jigsaw puzzling bunker.